


Worth It

by IBoatedHere



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Grocery Shopping, M/M, Plans For The Future, Set during 3.13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 20:08:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9254519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IBoatedHere/pseuds/IBoatedHere
Summary: There’s not much on Bitty’s shopping list.Eggs, butter, milk, strawberry and cinnamon Pop-Tarts along with a few other odds and ends.Nursey asked him to pick up floss and Chowder would like more blue Powerade.Stop & Shop is virtually empty this time of night so they have the produce section to themselves.





	

There’s not much on Bitty’s shopping list.

Eggs, butter, milk, strawberry _and_ cinnamon Pop-Tarts along with a few other odds and ends.

Nursey asked him to pick up floss and Chowder would like more blue Powerade.

Stop & Shop is virtually empty this time of night so they have the produce section to themselves.

Jack pushes the cart and follows Bitty around, stopping when he pauses to frown at the out of season strawberries and raspberries.

Jack has promised to take him to the Farmers Market in Providence over the summer.

Jack spent hours wandering around the stalls and petting dogs, enjoying anonymity for the last time in his new home.

He took pictures of strawberries as big as his thumb and blueberries overflowing their pint containers and sent them all to Bitty with a _wish you were here._

Bitty sent back a bunch of hearts in return and _maybe next summer??_

 _Maybe all the summers_ , Jack typed but hastily deleted it, sending a smiley face instead.

Bitty settles on blackberries that don’t look too bad and asks Jack to grab some pears and peaches for him while he checks out the herbs.

Bitty taught him a long time ago that the fruit that’s a little dented and bruised is often the sweetest.

He said it to him, soft and quiet, a few days after the Epikegster where Bitty probably heard too much too soon.

Jack watched him out of the corner of his eye as he peeled an apple with a knife then sliced it while holding it against his thumb, confident and self assured in his movements.

Jack had pretended he didn’t get the double meaning in his words but fished an apple slice out of the bowl when Bitty had offered and caught the curve of his smile when Jack asked him to let him know when the pie was done.

Jack takes his time picking out the fruit that looks like it’ll be the sweetest, it’s what Bitty deserves, and by the time he’s done Bitty has moved on.

He finds him a few aisles over juggling a package of mint, Pop-Tarts and a box of Lucky Charms.

He dumps them all into the cart then reaches up to the top shelf for a box of Captain Crunch.

Jack pushes the cart behind him and slips his hands beneath Bitty’s jacket where it’s ridden up against his hip.

His touch is there and gone, too quick for Bitty to even chirp him for but when he drops down to his heels he raises an eyebrow and says “risky, Mr. Zimmermann, very risky.”

There’s no one else in the aisle with them so Jack shrugs.

Bitty shakes his head, puts his hand on Jack’s back, a friendly touch, until he drags it down and gives his ass a firm squeeze.

“Bittle,” he hisses and looks down into wide, faux innocent eyes and Jack would give anything for more privacy, more bravery, more acceptance, so he could bend down and kiss the smirk right off his lips and taste his smile. His laugh.

They walk down the aisles together, Jack pushing the cart and Bitty pushing into him, shoulder to shoulder, stopping when Bitty reads the back of something and puts it back on the shelf.

They break apart when someone crosses their path then slide back together like magnets when they’re alone again.

At the register Bitty pulls his hand away from where it was resting near Jack’s on the cart. Their pinkies were overlapping and it wasn’t a lot but Jack misses it now that it’s gone.

Bitty gives him a smile as he steps up to talk to the cashier like he’s known her all his life as Jack puts the groceries on the belt.

“If you ever come out,” his father had said and Jack was very proud of the way his voice didn’t shake when he said “when.”

Bob’s voice wasn’t surprised, more thick with emotion when he said “it’s going to be a big deal, Jack. There’s no way around it. We want to make sure that you’re certain. That this is worth it.”

Bitty counts out change and drops it into the cashier’s waiting hand with a huge smile and Jack is so in love with him he’s not sure how anyone could ever think that Eric Bittle is anything other than absolutely worth it.

On the walk home Jack holds his bags in one hand so he can drape his other arm around Bitty’s shoulders.

Bitty tucks right in like he belongs there.

He does.


End file.
